question re: cluster feeding

[Hayden and Violet's mom]

If you are not doing the dreamfeed, should you still stop the cluster feeding after 8 weeks-old?

[momofclaire]

I wouldn't stop the cluster feeding at 8 weeks. 
If you post your routine maybe we can take a look.

You avatar is beautiful!
Myia

[First Time Mom]

I agree with Myia.
Have you tried the dreamfeed? I found it, along with cluster feeds, helped my dd to sleep through the night from about 16 weeks (with the exception of during growth spurts). Are you bottle or bfing? I ask because if it's bfing your supply will be helped/maintained with cluster feeds, especially because supply usually takes a bit of a dip in the late afternoon.

[Hayden and Violet's mom]

Thank you for your replies;

I am bottlefeeding and my routine is something like this:

7am 4-5oz bottle
815-830 nap
10am 4-5ozbottle
1115-1130 nap
1pm 4-5 oz bottle
215-230 nap
4pm 4-5 oz bottle
6pm bottle - 2-4oz
7pm bath
8pm bottle - 3-4oz
She is usually asleep by 9-930pm - she is very difficult to get to sleep at night.
She usually wakes at 3am for a feed.

After the 4pm feed the napping is very difficult and varies.  My son is home at 330pm.  I usually try to get her to nap a little in between the two feeds.  But, I just thought it would be easier to change the feed to 7pm and really concentrate on getting her to nap at 515-530 and then wake her at 630 for a bath with my son.  She also takes smaller amounts at the last two bottles so I thought if she could wait until 7pm she would drink more before bed.  Also, by 730-8pm she would be ready for bed.  My son goes to bed at 8pm so that would be ideal to have some time by myself and with my husband.
I did try the dreamfeed with my son and I didn't really like it and decided to skip it this time.  My son had his longest stretch in the first part of the night and when I did the dreamfeed it didn't help, he still woke up in the night.  Since she is doing a 7hour stretch, I don't want to mess with that, as my son didn't do this until he was three months old and she has been doing since 4weeks.  She is now 6weeks. 
I may just give it a try and see how it goes.  She is going through a growth spurt right now so I will wait a little until that passes.

[MJMom]

I think since you've opted out of the dream feed, then you can continue the cluster feed a bit longer.  The routine looks fine though.  And I think the possible adjustements for the bed time closer to your DS could work too.

[Hayden and Violet's mom]

Well yesterday I was able to get her to bed at 8pm, as she was wide awake all day and I couldn't get her to sleep for the life of me.  But at 9pm her eyes pop wide open and she is wide awake until about 930-10.  It is really wierd because she was very active at that time in the womb and it has not changed since she has been born.  I cannot break her of this, she seems to get these bug-eyes right at that time and is wide awake.  I am not sure there is much more I can do but keep working on it and wait until she grows out of it.
Thanks

[MJMom]

She's still a little young, so the routines should start getting better.

I'm a little concerned with your comment that she was wide awake all day long. Did she not nap at all?  By that time, she probably woke up because she was OT.  When OT, going through one sleep cycle to the next, instead of passing through, they wake up. 

How are you guys doing during the day? 

[Hayden and Violet's mom]

She normally is very good during the day.  That day in particular though, I had some stuff I had to do and I was dragging her all over town and she was way overtired and wouldn't fall asleep- kind of slept on and off.  By 7pm she was screaming because she was so overtired.  Every other day I am doing fine with putting her down.  As long as I look for her cues and try to respond after she yawns, or even after being up an hour I usually try to work on putting her for a nap.  She seems to be starting to soothe herself a little better in the last little while.  I try not to use a soother, as I have had problems in the past with my son, but sometimes in order to get her to take a short catnap in the evening, I have to resort to it.  Even taking her for a walk sometimes doesn't help.  Things are getting easier everyday with her and I am learning more about her. 

[MJMom]

Good to hear that was an anomoly.  But OT can definitely help accentuate the NWs.  If she is awake at that 9ish - 10ish hour, a DF then could still help with the 1-2 feeding. 

And of course... as you already said... you're getting to know your LO and her cues! And that is normally the best solution of all!